Break-In Period
▼Break-In Period
No special break-in is necessary, but a few
precautions in the first 1,000 km (600
miles) may add to
the performance,
economy, and life of the vehicle.
Do not race the engine.
Do not maintain one constant speed,
either slow or fast, for a long period of
time.
Do not drive constantly at full-throttle or
high engine rpm for e xtended periods of
time.
Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
Avoid full-throttle starts.
Saving Fuel and Protection of the Environment
▼Saving Fuel and Protection of the
Environment
How you operate your Mazda determines
how far it will travel
on a tank of fuel. Use
these suggestions to help save fuel and
reduce CO
2.
Avoid long warm-ups. Once the engine
runs smoothly, begin driving.
Avoid fast starts.
Drive at lower speeds.
Anticipate when to apply the brakes
(avoid sudden braking).
Follow the maintenance schedule and
have an Authorized Mazda Dealer
perform inspections and servicing.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance
(U.S.A. and Puerto Rico) on page 6-4.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance
(Canada) on page 6-6.
Refer to Scheduled Maintenance
(Mexico) on page 6-8.
Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
Slow down on rough roads.
Keep the tires properly inflated.
Do not carry unnecessary weight.
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving.
Keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Keep windows closed at high speeds.
Slow down when driving in crosswinds
and headwinds.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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WA R N I N G
Never stop the engine when going down a
hill:
Stopping the engine when going down a
hill is dangerous. This causes the loss of
power steering and power brake control,
and may cause damage to the drivetrain.
Any loss of steering or braking control
could cause an accident.
Hazardous Driving
▼Hazardous Driving
WA R N I N G
Be extremely careful if it is necessary to
downshift on slippery surfaces:
Downshifting into lower gear while driving
on slippery surfaces is dangerous. The
sudden change in tire speed could cause
the tires to skid. This could lead to loss of
vehicle control and an accident.
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazards:
Be cautious and allow extra distance for
braking.
Avoid sudden braking and sudden
maneuvering.
Do not pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
Refer to Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-75.
If you get stuck, select a lower gear and
accelerate slowly. Do not spin the front
wheels.
For more traction in
starting on slippery
surfaces such as ice or packed snow, use
sand, rock salt, chains, carpeting, or
other nonslip material under the front
wheels.
NOTE
Use snow chains only on the front wheels.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Winter Driving
▼Winter Driving
Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables
, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Maz da Dealer to check
the following:
Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page 6-17.
Inspect the ba ttery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-15).
Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
Use washer fluid made with
antifreeze―but do not use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid (page
6-19).
NOTE
Remove snow before driving. Snow left
on the windshield is dangerous as it
could obstruct vision.
Do not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows and
mirrors as it could result in the glass
cracking.
Drive slowly. Braking performance can
be adversely affected if snow or ice
adheres to the brake components. If this
situation occurs, drive the vehicle
slowly, releasing the accelerator pedal
and lightly applying the brakes several
times until the brake performance
returns to normal.
▼ Snow Tires
Use snow tires on all 4 wheels
Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)
while driving with snow tires. Inflate snow
tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm
2, 4.3 psi) more
than recommended on the tire pressure
label (driver's door frame), but never more
than the maximum cold-tire pressure
shown on the tires.
Mexico
The vehicle is origin ally equipped with
summer tires designed for optimum
traction on wet and dry roads. If your
vehicle is to be used on snow and ice
covered roads, Mazda recommends that
you replace the tires originally equipped
on your vehicle with snow tires during the
winter months.
Except Mexico
The vehicle is origina lly equipped with all
season radials designed to be used all year
around. In some extreme climates you
may find it necessary to replace them with
snow tires during the winter months to
further improve traction on snow and ice
covered roads.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Driving In Flooded Area
▼Driving In Flooded Area
WA R N I N G
Dry off brakes that have become wet by
driving slowly, releasing the accelerator
pedal and lightly applying the brakes
several times until the brake performance
returns to normal:
Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the vehicle
pulling to one side when braking could
result in a serious accident. Light braking
will indicate whether the brakes have been
affected.
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle on flooded roads
as it could cause short circuiting of
electrical/electronic parts, or engine
damage or stalling from water absorption.
If the vehicle has been immersed in water,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Overloading
▼Overloading
WA R N I N G
Be careful not to overload your vehicle:
The gross axle weight rating (GAWR) and
the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of
the vehicle are on the Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard Label on the driver's door frame.
Exceeding these ratings can cause an
accident or vehicle damage. You can
estimate the weight of the load by
weighing the items (or people) before
putting them in the vehicle.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
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Transmission Ranges
▼Transmission Ranges
The shift position indication in the
instrument clust
er illuminates.
Refer to Shift Position Indication on
page 4-36.
Shift the selector lever to the P or N
position to start the engine.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
WA R N I N G
Always set the selector lever to P position
and set the parking brake:
Only setting the selector lever to the P
position without using the parking brake to
hold the vehicle is dangerous. If P fails to
hold, the vehicle could move and cause an
accident.
CAUTION
Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is
moving can damage your transmission.
Shifting into a driving gear or reverse
when the engine is running faster than
idle can damage the transmission.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete stop
before shifting to or from R, except under
rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 3-46).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WA R N I N G
If the engine is running faster than idle, do
not shift from N or P into a driving gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P into a
driving gear when the engine is running
faster than idle. If this is done, the vehicle
could move suddenly, causing an accident
or serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is dangerous.
Engine braking cannot be applied when
decelerating which could lead to an
accident or serious injury.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transmission
damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector
lever from N position to prevent the
vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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Driving Tips
▼Driving Tips
WA R N I N G
Do not let the vehicle move in a direction
opposite to the direction selected by the
selector lever:
Do not let the vehicle move backward with
the selector lever in a forward position, or
do not let the vehicle move forward with
the selector lever in the reverse position.
Otherwise, the engine may stop, causing
the loss of the power brake and power
steering functions, and make it
difficult to
control the vehicle which could result in an
accident.
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transmission will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
NOTE
The accelerator pedal may initially feel
heavy as it is being depressed, then feel
lighter as it is depressed further. This
change in pedal force aids the engine
control system in determining how much
the accelerator pedal has been
depressed for performing kickdown, and
functions to control whether or not
kickdown should be performed.
While the selector lever is in the M
position and the DSC is turned off,
manual shift mode does not switch to
automatic shift mode even if the
accelerator pedal is completely
depressed. Operate the selector lever.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight and
grade steepness. Desce nd slowly, using the
brakes only occasionally to prevent them
from overheating.
When Driving
Automatic Transmission
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Brake System
▼Foot Brake
This vehicle has pow
er-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WA R N I N G
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off,
find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engi ne stalled or turned
off is dangerous. Braking will require more
effort, and the brake's power-assist could
be depleted if you pump the brake. This will
cause longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills:
Driving with your foot continuously on the
brake pedal or steadily applying the brakes
for long distances is dangerous. This causes
overheated brakes, resulting in longer
stopping distances or even total brake
failure. This could cause loss of vehicle
control and a serious accident. Avoid
continuous application of the brakes.
Dry off brakes that have become wet by
driving slowly, releasing the accelerator
pedal and lightly applying the brakes
several times until the brake performance
returns to normal:
Driving with wet brakes is dangerous.
Increased stopping distance or the vehicle
pulling to one side when braking could
result in a serious accident. Light braking
will indicate whether the brakes have been
affected.
CAUTION
Do not drive with your foot held on the
clutch pedal or brake pedal, or hold the
clutch pedal depressed halfway
unnecessarily. Doing so could result in
the following:
The clutch and brake parts will wear
out more quickly.
The brakes can overheat and adversely
affect brake performance.
Always depress the brake pedal with the
right foot. Applying the brakes with the
unaccustomed left foot could slow your
reaction time to an emergency situation
resulting in insufficient braking
operation.
Wear shoes appropriate for driving in
order to avoid your shoe contacting the
brake pedal when depressing the
accelerator pedal.
When Driving
Brake
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If there is a problem with the brake
system (foot brake) while driving the
vehicle, continually pulling up the EPB
switch will apply the brakes and
decelerate or stop the vehicle. The
parking brake on-reminder sound is
activated while the brake is applied. In
addition, when releasing the switch, the
brake is released and the sound stops.
If the parking brake is applied with the
ignition switched OFF or in ACC, the
EPB indicator light in the instrument
cluster and the indicator light in the
switch may turn on for 15 seconds.
When using an automatic car wash
which moves the vehicle with the front
tires mounted, it is necessary to cancel
the parking brake auto operation before
the vehicle enters the automatic car
wash. For details, refer to Canceling the
parking brake automatic operation.
Manual operation
Applying the parki ng brake manually
When the brake pedal is firmly depressed
and the EPB switch is pulled up, the
parking brake is applied regardless of the
ignition position. When the parking brake
is applied, the EPB indicator light in the
instrument cluster a nd the EPB switch
indicator light turn on.
Releasing the parking brake manually
When the brake pedal is firmly depressed
and the EPB switch is pressed while the
ignition is switched ON or the engine is
running, the parking brake is released.
When the parking brake is released, the
EPB indicator light in the instrument
cluster and the EPB sw itch indicator light
turn off.
If the EPB switch is pressed without
depressing the brake pedal, a message is
displayed on the multi-information display
to notify the driver to depress the brake
pedal.
Refer to Message Indicated on
Multi-information Disp lay on page 7-38.
Auto operation
Applying the parking brake
automatically
When the ignition is switched from ON to
ACC or OFF, the par king brake will be
applied automatically. When the parking
brake is applied, the EPB indicator light in
the instrument cluster and the EPB switch
indicator light turn on.
When Driving
Brake
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